It is common to utilize a driving device, such as an electric motor, to drive a driven device, such as a pump. In these cases a drive shaft extends between the driving device and the driven device. Safety regulations, such as OSHA requirements, require that in certain commercial and industrial settings that a guard be placed around the rotating shaft so as to prevent loose clothing, such as ties and sleeves, from becoming entangled in the equipment.
In my earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,710 (the '710 patent), I disclosed a guard for extending around a rotating shaft. The '710 patent is expressly incorporated herein by reference. The coupling guard disclosed in this patent included a generally U-shaped cover sleeve formed from a flexible sheet of high density, high impact plastic that enclosed the rotating shaft coupling, thereby shielding the coupling so as to prevent body parts and objects from contacting the coupling. When installed, the cover sleeve is spaced from the coupling so as not to interfere with the rotation of shafts or the coupling interposed between the shafts. The cover sleeve is secured with a pair of brackets to a frame structure adjacent the rotating shaft and held stationary with respect to the rotating shaft. The cover sleeve defines two opposed end openings through which the rotating shafts extend.
While the guard assembly of the '710 patent has proven to be successful, the installation of this type of guard assemblies and others in the prior art can be time consuming and awkward. Thus, there is a need for a guard assembly for enclosing an area around a rotating shaft extending between a driving device and a driven device which is easy to install and which can be easily adjusted and secured around the rotating shaft so as to close the open area around the drive shaft.